Girls' soccer teams have their share of talented young players

Girls' soccer: Burroughs, Bell-Jeff have new coaches, while Burbank has large group of returners and Providence is still in a wait-and-see mode.

November 29, 2013|By Jeff Tully, jeff.tully@latimes.com

(File Photo )

Brady Riggs didn't play boys' soccer when he attended Burroughs High in the 1980s. He did, however, compete on the boys' golf team and had an outstanding career.

Riggs turned out to be perhaps the finest male golfer in school history, earning high school All-American honors. He also has since been inducted into the Burroughs High Athletic Hall of Fame.

Riggs has returned to his alma mater to coach — but not golf. Instead, he is the Indians' new girls' soccer coach.

"I have been coaching my eldest daughter in soccer since she was 5 and now she's a freshman at Burroughs," said Riggs about his daughter, Maddy. "One thing led to another, then all of a sudden I'm involved with the school again and now I'm the girls' soccer coach. It's just bizarre how the whole thing turned out.

"But I'm thrilled to be here. I just love the school. I went to Burroughs, my wife graduated from the school, both of my parents went to Burroughs and my uncle [Mickey McNamee] just got inducted into the Hall of Fame. So, it feels right to be here with daughter. I am also very passionate about soccer."

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While Riggs takes over the program at Burroughs, Bellarmine-Jefferson also has a new coach in Brenda Garcia, who went to school at Santa Cruz League foe St. Genevieve.

With a solid group of returners, Burbank is hoping to make a push for a Pacific League championship and hopefully knock off perennial league favorites Arcadia and Crescenta Valley.

Providence will have a small team after struggling to get a group together this season. The Pioneers will field a squad, despite almost having to scrap the season due to low numbers.

Here is a closer look at the teams.

BURROUGHS

The Indians (13-12-2) are coming off a season in which they stayed in contention for the league title until the final two matches of the regular season. Burroughs ended up placing third.

"I am their third coach in four years, so I'm hoping to bring a little stability to the program," said Riggs, a 1986 Burroughs graduate. "They have had their ups and downs over the last few years and I just wanted to come in and let them know I care about them and I want them to do well and I will do everything to help them out.

"They are a good group and our team is going to have, I think, 13 seniors in the program. And that helps because they have the experience and know what's expected of them."